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(11)

EP 1 581 969 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 05.10.2005 Bulletin 2005/40 (21) Application number: 03774675.7 (22) Date of filing: 09.10.2003

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H01L 23/58, H01L 23/48, H01L 23/52, H01L 21/00, H01L 21/4763, H01L 21/44, H01L 21/302, H01L 21/31 (86) International application number: PCT/US2003/031900 (87) International publication number: WO 2004/064157 (29.07.2004 Gazette 2004/31)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK (30) Priority: 07.01.2003 US 338105 (71) Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation Armonk, NY 10504 (US)

(72) Inventors: SHYNG-TSONG, Chen Patterson, NY 12563 (US) STEPHEN, M. Gates Ossining, NY 10562 (US) JEFFREY, C. Hedrick Montvale, NJ 07645 (US) KELLY, Malone Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 (US) SATYANARAYANA, Nitta Poughquag, NY 12570 (US) CHRISTY, S. Tyberg Mahopac, NY 10541 (US) (74) Representative: Ling, Christopher John  IBM United Kingdom Limited, Intellectual Property Law, Hursley Park Winchester, Hampshire SO21 2JN Hampshire SO21 2JN (GB)